UPDATED 8.19am: Andrew Little's business-oriented State of the Nation address is designed to break down traditional Labour party barriers.

He's delivering it now to an Auckland business audience.

Earlier he told Mike Hosking he wants to lay down Labour's business priorities, in order to better engage businesspeople.

"Yeah looking at the poll result it's no question. We need to connect much more effectively with business."

Bryce Edwards told Newstalk ZB's Andrew Dickens claims Labour will try to woo the business audience today have likely been overstated.

"There will be a bit of small business talk thrown in there to show he's not going off into the extremes, but no this will be about jobs, jobs, jobs.

"Labour really need to give voters an idea of what they stand for, because most people don't know what they stand for."

Social housing at National core plan

Meanwhile, John Key's State of the Nation speech today could be a make or break chances for him to garner support for state housing plans.

He's previously signalled plans to sell off some state housing stock, and today is expected to release more details.

Edwards says it's a dangerous policy for National.

"So far, I don't think the government has sold their social housing very well/

"It does just look like privatisation, it looks quite heartless."